Today we honor our heavenly protector - Saint Ivan the Wonderworker of Rilatranslated

On October 19, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Ivan the Wonderworker of Rila, considered the heavenly protector of the Bulgarian people.

St. Ivan Rilski is the patron of many churches and monasteries in Bulgaria, including the Rila Holy Monastery founded by him. Traditionally, on the eve of the holiday, an all-night vigil is held in the monastery, which is traditionally attended by hundreds of pilgrims from all over the country. During the day, a festive holy liturgy is celebrated there. The patron saint also celebrates the Sofia Theological Seminary "St. John of Rila".

Ivan Rilski was born around 876 in the village of Skrino, near the town of Dupnitsa. He was a shepherd until he was 25 years old. Initially, he entered the monastery "St. Dimitrii" in the Vlahina mountain, where he received an education and accepted monasticism. Ivan Rilski did not stay long in the monastery, but devoted himself to a life of complete solitude, prayers, fasting and deprivation. He traveled to many places around the country until he settled in Rila mountain, where he stayed until the end of his life and founded the monastery of the same name.

Ivan Rilski died on August 18, 946, aged about 70, and was buried in the vestibule of the monastery church, in a stone tomb that has been preserved to this day. Soon after death…